there cannot be a deficiency in the last happinesse by reason of the commitment of any sine by the beatified but what can there be any deficiency or defectibility thereof upon any other head or respect Surely no for then unworthily should it be reputed the last end of those Spirits which shall have no end and of those soules which being immortall shall never dye nor cease to bee True happinesse that cannot be of the aeternity and endlesse durance whereof doubt may be made Austen Austen de Civitat lib. â—2 most excellently What other is our end then to come to that kingdome whereof there is no end Divers do here question whether the last happinesse in part to weet of the glorious love of God and joyous delight in God may cease and fade notwithstanding the cleare vision and sight of God do still continue where in to resolve is smal or no difficulty at al for if the questioÌ„ be whether God out of his absolut power can shew himselfe as he is in himselfe infinitely good c. to any of the beatified yet they not love him nor actualy delight in him I answere that it is morally impossible except in such a case onely that God would not concurre with such his beatified to the act of love and affection of delight and then most cleare it is that in such a case though they follow naturally one upon another yet because they are really distinguished that one may be effected and not the other God concurring with the power intellective for the action of vision but not with the power of the will for the act of love and affection of delight But what a vanity of witts to seeke a knot where none is Cleare it is that the state of the last happinesse of man shal be so perfect and consummate that well may there be some new addition of adventicious and accidentall glory but to thinke that there should be any fading in that happinesse in which as Bernard divinely the Beatified are ever greene and growing in aeternity were an injurious vanity and blasphemous dotage against the glory and honour of the Citty of God SIXTH SECTION Conteines certaine observations touching the glorified bodyes of the beatified and their glorious qualities WHat hath beene said touching the glory of the soules of the beatified comes very short of that which in truth it is For if an admiring soule cannot how shall a speaking tongue be able to expresse the excellent eminencyes of the same But it being so that the beatified Soules want part of their consummation untill their bodies shall be joyntly glorified with them This place requires that wee should adde somewhat touching First observation the glorious conditions and states of their glorified bodies For which purpose I observe first that though at the dissolution of man by death the Soule being separated from the body shee if holy and regenerated be elevated to blisse and glory her body on earth rotting and falling away into dust and corruption yet there remaineth in the Soule a naturall and most intime inclination to have her body by information and naturall conjunction reunited to her againe which inclination St. Austen conceived to be August lib. 12 in Gen. cap. 35. so great that he thought by the meanes thereof the soules beatified to be so letted and hindred that they cannot see and behold God before the resurrection so perfectly as they shall do after the same In which his opinion though with reverence be it written he was mistaken for the cleare vision and fruition of God depends nothing of the body or animall affections thereof yet hereby it is evident that the Soule hath not her full and compleat happinesse untill her yoke-fellow after whom shee so naturally longeth be to her unâ—ted againe I say longeth for the desire after the body is not immoderate nor anxious for shee knoweth that at the time and houre appointed her body shall be reformed in the likenesse Phil. 3. 20. of Christs glorified body and be renuited to her againe which time because God hath so appointed it she dutifully and obediently tarrieth and expecteth knowing assuredly that though it bee long yet that at length coming it will come Secondly I observe that this inclination of the Soule arises from this that the Soules of men are not as the Spirits of Angells are compleate and perfect Substances subsisting by themselves The Soule and body are as naturall parts for the Constituting of the nature of man but they are parts onely of humane nature the Soule one part the body another both concurring to make a perfect subsisting nature of man the Soule and body of both of them parts separable yet herein differing that the Soule whether separated or united is naturallie immortall the body whether separated or united by nature mortall and yet herein agreeing that as being naturall parts if united they make one compleat whole substance so if separated they have an inclination most intime and natural for the making up of the whole to be reunited agayne But to declare this point more clearely The inclination of any thing that is but a part of a whole to be united to that part wherewith it maketh the whole is so naturall that the same inclination cannot be removed unlesse the thing it selfe which is the part bee first destroyed for example the parts of a greene tree being but halfe cleft and pulled asunder doe not with a naturall force more endevour to reunite them selves together then the naturall and essentiall parts of any compleat substance upon any separation doe incline to bee reunited together agayne the reason of which inclination I take to be this that everye thing hath a naturall propension for the conservation of it selfe and his owne being Now cleare it is that the esse and being of a part as a part is for the making of the whole so then a part hath never a more perfect being then when it is in the whole for whose being making constitution naturally it is What marvaile then that every part naturall and essentiall if separated from the whole have an inclination for the making up of the whole to be reunited to her fellowe part agayne and so no merveyle it is that the Soule being an Essentiall and Naturall part together with the body for the making up of the substance of man if she being separated from the body have a naturall inclination to bee reunited to the body agayne that by the meanes of such a union man who by death was dissolved and become no man may by the resuscitation of the body and the reunition of the body to the Soule bee made man agayne Though this point be most cleare both in Divinity and Philosophy yet is it not conceipted by those who make the Soule only to bee the whole man and the body to be no other then the Soules waggon or chariot so that the Soule is no otherwise in the body
difficulty if not of impossibility of being well used or that salvation may be obteined by the posessioners of them for so we are to understand that of the Sonne of God It Mat. 19. 14. is easier for a Camell to passe through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter into the Kingdome of Heaven Some of the wiser Ancients to expresse the difficulty which pleasures honour and riches do bring against the exercise of vertue have feigned a Virgin by name Aclanta of such admirable beauty that the Worthies of that time were all enamoured with the love of her but as her beauty was surpassing great so was her swiftnesse in running farre greater so that in running shee could not be overtaken by any of the Valiants of those times though she had often proffered her selfe to be his who in running could out go her At last one Hippomenes presents himselfe unto her who that the better he might obteine his purpose in out running the faire Aclanta had secretly provided three balls of gold the which one after one as they were in their course of running he casts before her for the taking up of which the beautifull maid makes such stayes and so many stops that shee was out-runne by Hippomenes and so was obteined of him Now who is this faire Atlanta but the soule of man adorned with sundry heavenly graces whose power by grace was to have not sinned but to have stood and continued in grace had shee not beene overtaken and over prised in the course of her obedience by the infernall Hâ—ppomenes First apple of Pleasures the forbidden fruit the 2 of pride you shal be like God the 3 of Covetousnesse knowing good and evill Gen 3 4. 5. who casting before her the three bâ—lls of riches pleasures and honoures letted her from the attaining of that glory and happinesse for which shee was made and designed Thus are riches eagerly desired and heaped up for the hurt of the possessioner So are honours the bellowes of Satan blowing up the fire of arrogancy So are pleasures the snares and gives of Satan wherewith he leades sensuall minds captives to that place of torments where such a measure of torments shall be given according as the guilty shall be found to have exceeded in the riot of their pleasures The third reason I frame thus The happinesse Third reason of man must be such that as no man can use it ill so must it not have any evill unavoydable accompanying and adjoyned with it But what sweet proffitable or glorious thing is there in the world which hath not ever some evill either of bitternesse or disproffit or dishonour or infirmity of the body or anxiety of the minde intermixt therewith that whosoever shall sett his soule upon any thing or all the things that are in this world he cannot but be thought to have received his soule in vaine resting upon vanity what happinesse for such a soule to have gained the world if Mat. 16. 26. it perish with the world and what a felicity to have gained the world when as all that is in the world is but a puffe of vanity Seneca very excellently O how ridiculous is the boundes of mortall men it is but a point which with sword and fier is devided into so many nations above there are infinite spaces into the possession whereof the soule may be admitted Fourthly I argue thus The last end of man Fourth reason because the last and because of man who in his soule is immortall and never dieth must be also immortall never dye nor fade away but who seeth not by dayly experience that of the beloved Apostle to be most true The world and the lust 1 Ioh. 2. 17. thereof passeth away If then that be true as it is most true that that cannot be true happines the eternity whereof is not certeine then assuredly that cannot be the matter and object of true happinesse whose instability and dayly mutability is most certeine Salomon having had a full taste even to satiety of all the glorious delicacyes of the world cries out with a most humble note and loud crie O the vanity of vanityes and all things vanity O the vanity of vanityes Vanity then and most vaine should the last end of man then be if placed in such vanities of honours riches or pleasures Fifthly the last end naturall of man is that Fifth reason whereunto by God as Author of nature he is ordeined the last end supernaturall is that whereunto God as the Author of Grace hath designed and ordeined him But cleare it is and it needs no proofe that all the good terrene things of the world cannot be the end supernaturall for which man was made and as easily it is shewed that they cannot be the end naturall of man for as it hath beene already prooved they let and hinder man from the atcheiving of his supernaturall ends But as Grace hurts not but perfects nature so nature as nature though as vitiated it hinders hinders not Grace but being elevated and renewed by Grace is by Grace made able to be concurrent with Grace O with how few things is nature ordinate content Socrates the wise and temperate observing the superfluity of humane cares cries out O how many things are there which I do not want Againe do we not see that honours riches especially pleasures are very frequently attendant upon those in whom nature is rather destroyed and corrupted than in part impaired or diminished Of such manner of men the Apostle Iude very fiâ—ly That in those things which they naturally know Iud. epist v. 10 not as man but as brute beasts in them they are corrupted It is true that as God often favours the famous in giving them wealth so sinn for most part infatuates where God giveth wealth so that the wealthy as they often glory inordinately in honour so they surfet immoderately in Pleasures And where are the persons that do not so Let the Iovinianists of latter times be an example for all And who observes not that this tendes not to the perfection but to the corruption of nature Sixtly the last end of man must bee immediatly Sixth reason attained possessed injoyed by the best and cheefest actions which are in man to weet the actions of the cheefest powers and faculties of the soule the will and understanding But riches pleasures honour fame glory are immediately apprehended felt and injoyed by the outward senses of man and do only appertaine to the soule by the way of approvance or rejectioÌ„ for the good and usefull service of her body and sensuall parts for the soule being spirituall and immateriall cannot have or receive any immediate impressions from things corporall and materiall Which being so and most clearely so how idle were it in these corporall and materiall things to place the last end of man and to make them the object of his happinesse and felicity Seventhly as the
destroyed but perfected Secondly 2. shall these elementary qualities by Gods hand be limited and stayed in their actions and operations that they shall not worke one against another for their mutuall destruction Not so for then this impassibility should not be an internall vertue as a dowry immanent in the glorified body which is against the Apostles intention but onely an outward assistance of God Againe these elementary parts and qualities Impassibility is internall must have their severall mixtions for the making of diverse and distinct parts corporall which cannot be without a refraction and composition of the elementary qualities themselves one with another Or Thirdly may we thinke that 3. this vertue is a coelestiall kinde of substance or substanciall quality which united with the elementary qualities and substances doth temper and make thereby the bodies which are to be glorified fit receptacles for their glorious soules This though it seeme very probable yet I will rather resolve with Aquinas that this vertue and Supplem q. â—2 art 1. power of Impassibility flowes immediately from the soule herselfe which informing the body doth so perfectly and fully subdue all the powers and qualities of the same unto herselfe that no contrary agent can be able to make any violent impression or action upon or against the body for the corruption destruction of the same or may be able to draw it from that quiet and peaceable state wherein it rests Austen excellently God hath made the Soule of so powerfull a nature August epist 66. ad Diosâ—orum that from her glorious happinesse there redounds to the body the vigour of incorruption Cleare it is that no agent can worke with any violent or contrary impression upon or against any other Agent or subject to hurt or alter the same unlesse the same Agent be more powerfull then the other is on which or against which it worketh which being clearely true likewise cleare it is that no corporall creature which hath in it contrary elementary quallities can be of greater power and force then a glorified body is to worke against or upon the same So long therefore as the glorified Soule shall be subject to God and the glorified body be subject to the Soule so long it shall be impossible for any corporall agent whatsoever to have a transeunt action or impression which may any way alter or hurt the same And this is that immutation and change whereof the Apostle not onely speakes but glories 1 Cor. 15. 51. We shall not all sleepe but wee shall all be changed Where he makes this immutation to be a chaunge from passibility to impassibility and to be peculiar onely to the elect whereof the reprobate shall have no part nor portion at all And yet though we graunt an impassibility to the bodies glorified so that they shall not be subject to any violent or contrary impressions The Beatified shall have all such sensitive actions which include not Corruption yet we may not deny but that there shall be all such sensitive actions and consequently answerable passions which include not corruption of seeing hearing feeling smelling tasting and such like as may be fitting for that place Of sight cleare Iob. 19. 26. it is for Iob professes that his eyes shall behold God his Saviour and most frequent are other testimonies of Scripture for the same Hearing cannot be denyed for as the Saints shall incessantly with vocall praise the Psalmist professing that the exultations Psal 149. 6. of God shall be in their throates magnifie God so no doubt may be made but that their vocall Alleluâ—as shall be mutually heard and understood yea who can doubt but that the beatified shall speake to Christ and Christ to them Goe too Good and faithfull Servants saith Christ all haile Glorious God and Lord sing they Benediction thanksgiving is their glorious note for ever and ever Feeling we may not deny for that includes not any corruption and if agreeing to sense it is a perfection not a defect of nature And that glorified bodies be palpable and may be felt Luc. 24. 39. that of Christ makes it most cleare Feele and see for a spirit hath not flesh and bones as you see mee to have Neither of the sense of smelling may any question be made because for the sensation thereof there is no corruptible or corporall immutation necessarily required Touching the sense of taste some difficulty may be made and yet though there be no delicious taste by eating or drinking delicious meates or dainties such as the voluptuous of these times make their God notwithstanding it is not absurd to thinke that the glorified bodyes by Gods ordinance shall have some delicious and pleasant moysture resting upon the place of tast that so by such a meanes that sensible part may have her full rest and content The best reasons for this which I have said touching the perfection of corporall senses I take to be these few first that as the body shall have her perfection and reward because shee was so familiar and individuall a companion of the Soule in the suffering for Reasons why there shall be glorious actions of Sensation in the glorified Christ or her subjection to Christ So likewise the sensitive parts and faculties which have been instruments of the Soule in the exercise of righteousnesse shall also have their appointed reward Againe there can be no sufficient reason brought Rom. 6. 13. 1 Cor. 6. 19. Luk. 10. 27. 2 Cor. 5. 10. against what I have said why it should not be so Againe he that will seriously peruse the 5. and 25. chapters of St. Matthewes Gospell and the 22. of St. Luke where Christ promises and performes Mat. 5. and 25. Luk 22. his glorious rewards to his faithfull followers and where Lazarus is described to have tasted his very felicity a thing which the rich glutton importunely desired will not easily be induced to thinke this which I have here set downe to be untrue or false And so I conclude this point with this observation that if as I have shewed above there be in the Soule glorified an impeccability and indefectibility so that they cannot sin in the body an impassibility not to receive any the least impression of coÌ„trariety and corruption that may be how firme then how stable then yea how everlasting then is that glorious state which hath this participated aeternity aeternally that it cannot perish nor decay Who arightly considers this and longs not to have a speedy dissolution of this terrestriall house of this cotage of dirt and clay that so he may be Iob. 4. 19. present with the Lord and have a house aeternall and 2. Cor. 5. 1. everlasting not made with hands but such a one as the spirit of the Lord shall frame and establish O how amiable are thy dwellings thou Lord of hosts my Soule Psal 84. 2. longeth and my heart fainteth after the Courts
then as the mariner is in the shipp or the inhabitant in his dwelling house Of this opinion Porphirie seemed to bee who as Austen writes Austen 12. de Civit. of him affirmed that the Soule if she would bee happie was of necessity to bee separated and freed from the body And likewise of this opinion al those Heritickes of necessity must bee who make and teach a duality of God a good one and a bad one the good God author of Spirits and Soules the bad God author of the bodies and all such habituall corruptions as are in them needes I say must theese latter so teach for if Soules bee not naturall formes of bodies to quicken them give life unto them and with them as comparts to make compleat composed substances of the Persons of men and women then assuredly no naturall inclination or propension can bee in them being separated from the bodies to bee reunited to them agayne no more inclination certeynly then there can be in him who having once tasted of the tyrannie of the Popish Inquisition can desire to returne into it agayne Thirdly I observe the just disposition of God who hath ordeyned a generall resuscitation of bodies at the last day that man accordingly as hee may have done eyther good or evill may receave eyther a glorious reward or an ignominiouse punishment in the bodye Cleare it is that not only the Soule or only the body but men and women composed both of body and soules are those who worke and doe for actions and deedes are of the Persons themselves are those I say who doe eyther good or evill and consequently whole man and woman perfect and compleat Persons must appeare to receave according as they have done in their bodie eyther good or evill Wee must all appeare before the judgement seate of Christ sayth the Apostle that every one may 2. Cor. 5. 10. ceceave according as hee maye have done in his body eyther good or evill Not onely bodies then nor Soules alone but men and women Persons compleate and consummate must appeare I say consummate for such is the Phrase of the Apostle in his Epistle to the Hebrewes where speaking of Heb. 11. 13. the Fathers and Ancients of the old testament who by the testimonie of Fayth were approved sayth thus They receaved not the repromission and promise God providing better for us that without us they should not be consummated so hee speaketh And this cōsummation which is when the bodie being raysed up and shall be joyned to the Soule agayne is that whereof holy Iob speaketh thus Iob. 14. 15. making it the verie worke of the right hand of God himselfe Thou shalt reach out thy right hand to the worke of thy handes or as the Chaldaicke paraphrase hath it Thou shalt be gracious to the worke of thy hands How this but by a powerfull and gracious resuscitation and raysing up of her body from her bed of dust and corruption and reuniting the same agayne unto the Soule whereby it being reunited becomes quickened Iob. 9. 25. 26. with the Spirit of life The hope of this was so deare and preciouse to holy and most venerable Iob that on the dunghill of his miseries with a triumphant kind of joy hee layed up in his bosome the joy full expectation hereof I know sayth he that my redeemer liveth and that at the last day I shall be compassed about with my skinne and that in my flesh I shall see God my Saviour and that myne owne eyes shall behould him and not any other for mee And in this expectation hee dayly dwelt according as he professes in another place All the dayes of this my warfarre I expect and looke untill my chaunge and immutation be come Which Iob. 14. 14. chaunge and immutation is that verie thing which now wee have in consideration to weet the glorious state and condition of the bodies of those who in this their pilgrimage may have walked in true fayth towards their God It is not doubted of amongst Christians but that the same individuall Person is to appeare is or shall bee glorified both in body and soule who in this mortall life hath kept his fayth faythfullie and obediently seruing God not taking or receaving his Soule in vayne and consequently Psal 24. 4. as the Soule is the same individuallye for it never perished so likewise the verie body must bee the same individuallye yea and the substantiall union and conjunction whereby the Soule and body are joyned together must be the same individuallye and in unity of number which though reason conceaves not yet fayth assecures and warrantes And so consequently cleare it is that the immutation and chaunge whereof the Apostle and holy Iob speake is not because there is another Soule or another body or another union of body and Soule for all these three are the same individuallye and numerically but the whole chaunge and immutation is in respect of some glorious properties and qualities which the bodies resuscitated to glorie shall have which they never had whilst they were yet mortall fro as the Soules and Spirits have their speciall glories so likewise shall the bodies have theirs These Foure glorious qualities of the glorified bodies qualities and properties are commonly distinguished to bee fowre to weet Impassibilitie Subtillity Agility Clarity Impassibilitie whereby the body is made uncapable of any contrary passion or violent impression Subtillity whereby the body is made not a Spirit but like unto a Spirit to bee able to penetrate or passe where it could not before Agility whereby it is indewed with such a velocity and Swifenes that the beatified may followe the Lambe whithersoever he goeth Clarity whereby al deformitie or naturall obscurenesse being taken away the body becomes bright shining and resplendent but wee must explicate these things more particularlye and yet with all brevitie possible I beginne with the first Impassibilitye Impassibilitye must needes be graunted as a partiall dowrie to glorified bodies for if they should be passible as before then consequently they should bee corruptible which as it is agaynst the nature of felicity that essentially includes a participated aternity so is it expressely agaynst the Apostles doctrine where he professes that our bodies which are sowne in corruption shall rise up in incorruption But though it be most apparant that glorified bodies shall bee impassible yet is it not so easily to explicate and open from whence this impassibility doth immediately arise or what is the immediate cause thereof The Apostle tells us that what is sowed in weakenesse and infirmity riseth up in power and vertue which vertus or power I take to be the immediate cause of impassibility or else to be impassibility it selfe But what is this vertue and power Is it 1. a supernaturall vertue making the elementary parts and qualities to be of another nature then now they are Not so for nature must not be chaunged or
of the Lord. Subtilitie THis dowrie gift which is generallie called Subtilitie I would rather speaking with the Apostle call Spiritualty for in his Epistle to the Corinthians hee affirmeth thus It is sowed a naturall body but it riseth a spirituall body and againe 1 Cor. 15. 44 47. 48. 49. The first man is of the earth earthly The second man is the Lord from heaven As is the earthy such are they that are earthy and as is the heavenly such also are they that are heavenly And as wee have borne the Image of the earthy wee shall also beare the Image of the heavenly Thus the Apostle whereout many excellent observations might bee made But I call it Spiritualty not as though which some falsly have affirmed the body were chaunged into the Soule and Spirit for so that which is raysed should not bee man consisting of Soule and Body but a third distinct thing different from Man and consequently the mystery of the resurrection of the flesh should bee quite taken away for Resurrection requires that the same thing which fell bee raysed up againe Neyther doe I call it Spiritualty as though the body after resurrection were made thin and rare like the wynd and ayre as the Eutychians of ould did affirme denying the bodyes glorified to bee palpable but I call it Spiritualty by reason of a more powerfull influence and that dominion which the Soule shall have into and over the Body after the resurrection then it ever had or could have in the time of her mortalitye This though it bee hard to explicate yet sure I am that in so affirming calling of it Spiritualty I speake in the phrase of the Apostle but as for Subtility 1. Cor. 15. 44. which in true and proper signification signifyes a property whereby such things as are spirituall have a penetrative and piercing vertue to passe and Aristo lib. 2. de Generat tex 50 pierce into and through the corpulent parts of any thing that hath a bodye and is corpulent having dmensions and parts I cannot see how it can bee given to the glorified bodyes which after resurrection have the same extensive and corpulent parts for quantity and fulnes of matter or bodilinesse as they had before the resurrection and can no more penetrate pierce or enter into or thorough any true bodily and corporall substance which hath the dimensions of quantity to weet thicknes breadth length then they could August tract 121 in Ioh. Chrysost hom 89. in Ioh. Ambros in 24. luc Hiâ—ar ub 3 definit Hiero-Epist ad Pammach Ioh 20 26. before their resurrection in the time of their mortality and corruption And although it may bee probably affirmed with diverse Ancient Fathers that the body of our saviour who entered into his disciples the dores beeing shut did by powerfull penetration passe thorough the doore yet wee maye not attribute the same as a thing naturall to his glorified body it having the same dimensions of quantity for bodilines and fulnes of matter which it had before but wee must with Antiquity attribute the same to the power of his Godhead Luc. 137. August Eps 3. ad Volusianum Heb. 4. 18. Iob. 37. 18 to whom no word is impossible for he that could enter into the wombe the secret of the most pure vergin not violated as Augustine and Nazianzene excellently Hee who could penetrate the heavens which are more solid and strong then brasse and yet receaue no bruise in his body nor make any rent in them wee may not doubt but that by the omnipotenty of his power hee could enter in into his disciples the dores being shut But to conculde this point wherein the holy Scriptures bee so sparing though with the Apostle wee give Spiritualty to the glorified bodyes whereby it may seeme that in truth they are become Spirituall which is true in the sense I have expressed yet are they not so Spirituall but that they are palpaple and may bee touched Luc. 24. 39. and felt Feele see sayth Christ to his Apostles for a Spirit hath not flesh and bones as you see mee to have Where I note that a body which is truly spiritual may withall bee really palpaple and bee touched and felt also though it bee against that knowen Gregor hom 26 in Euangel saying of Gregory called the great a Pope of Rome Of necessity all what so ever may bee felt or handled is subject to Corruption But perhaps hee meant that so it was ordinarily according to the course of naturall things as they are in this state of mortality The reader may here expect that I should more amply open and explicate what this Spiritualty may bee I confesse my Ignorance I had rather heare a master then bee my self a Teacher only I resolve that it is a spirituall influence into and a powerfull Dominion of a Soule Glorious over a Glorified Body whereby the Body may seeme as it were to bee freed and cleared from all such corporall imperfections and defections as are incident to substances that are bodily and Corporall I meane such imperfections and defects as doe not essentially follow the nature of quantity and Bodilines it self that is all such defects and imperfectious as precede and goe before accompany or follow after Generation Augmentation or such like corporall motions which serve for the increase or conservation of humane nature And surely most necessary it is that all such defects and imperfectious should cease for without the cessation of them it cannot bee well understood how the Beatified both in body and Soule should bee elevated into that liberty of Glory which Rom. 8. 21. Galat. 4. is promised to the childeren of God the Citisens of that Hierusalem above which is both Glorious and freed from all servitude of corruption Cleare experience teacheth that to bee most true which the booke of Wisedome complayningly Sap. 9. 15 delivereth That the Corruptible body over-loadeth and aggravateth the soule And that the earthly habitation presseth downe the mynde meditating upon many things Most necessary then it is that in that state of felicity and full liberty where the Soules Beatified incessantly see God and meditate upon God that they should bee freed from all grosse and heavy clogs and hinderances that so with all their forces and endeavours they may bend themselves to the contemplation loue and fruition of the infinit Goodnes of God so clearely and presentially proposed unto them And this is that which wee must call Spiritualty wherein if I may seeme to the Learned to be mistaken I desire from them some better and more full declaration of this dowry of Subtility Agility THis dowry gift of Agility is a glorious quality or vertue whereby the bodyes of the glorified are totally subject to the Soules as to most powerfull Movers to be moved by them without all resistance or least reluctancy that may be thought on which Agility or Facility as I conceive they have because the
state of mortality what God hath prepared for those that love him Clarity THat which the Apostle calls glory speaking 1 Cor. 15. 43. thus The body is sowen in ignoblenes it riseth againe in glory is generally by Divines termed and called Clarity and this nothing at all from the Apostles sense for in the place alleaged he teaching that at the Generall resurrection the Glories of the bodies glorified shal be different and diverse one exceeding the other hee useth this declaration 1 Cor. 15. 45. for the same Like as onestarre differeth from another in Clarity the brightnesse of the starres being more properly called Clarity then glory so shall the resurrection of the dead bee Now what manner of Clarity this shall bee it is not difficult to expesse if wee call to mynd what manner of Clarity and Glory that was wherwith the body of Christ was adorned at the time of his Mat. 17. 2. Transfiguration when his face did shyne as the sun and his rayment was white as the light S. Mark addes that his rayment became shyning exceeding whyte as the snow so as no fuller on the earth can whyten them Mark 9. 3. But cleare it is that our vile and humble bodyes at the daye of the Resurrection shall bee transformed and by a glorious immutation bee made like to the resplendant and bright shinning body of Christ so sayth Paule in his Epistle to the Philippians Phil. 3. 20. And Christ promiseth in the Gospell That the Righteous shall shyne like the Sun in the kingdome of their Father Loe Christs face on earth did shine Mat. 13. 43. and now in heaven doth shyne like the Sun and to the Righteous it is promised that though now they are as the very of scumme of the world yet their faces shall shyne like the Sun in the kingdome of their Father But here note that though it bee sayd that Christs body the Saynts bodies shall shyne like one and the same thing never the lesse this must not bee taken in full equality of Clarity brightnes Chrysost in Mat. Chrysostome excellently But if the face of the Lord did shyne as the Sun and the Saynts shall shyne as the Sun shall then the Lords Clarity and his servants bee equall Not so but because nothing is found to bee more bright then the Sun therefore to give an example of the future resurrection both the face of our Lord is sayed to shyne and the righteous also are sayd to shyne as the Sun Whereby wee cannot but observe how exceeding bright and resplendant the Clarity of our glorified bodies shall bee for if they shall shyne as the Sun and the Sun shall Isa 30. 26. Chrysost in Mat. shyne at the day of Iudgement seventimes brighter then now it doth then may wee boldly with Chrysostome say though there shall bee no chaunge in nature yet there shall be the addition or putting to of an unenarrable Clarity and brightnes Which brightnes and Clarity we may not only conceave that it shall bee a transeunt Light upon the superficies and out syde of the body like as the Suns beames without any immutation internall doe spread themselves upon a wall No no there shall bee a true internall immutation by a glorious Clarity and brightnes which shall make the glorified bodies not only bright and cleare without but also fulgent and shyning within and thoroughout So that the glory of the Soule may thorough the body is it were by a glasse in such a manner bee seene and beheld in such sort as a spirituall glory may bee beheld and seene somewhat in like sort as the Coulour of the body may be seene in a glasse or rather as the life of the soule is seene and observed in and by the vivacity and Livelines which it imparts by action and motion to the outward visible parts of the body And if I misconceane not in respect of this glorious translucency and transparency the brightnes and Clarity of the celestiall Hierusalem is in the Revelation of S. Iohn thus in like sort described And hee caryed mee away in the spirit into an high Reve. 21. 10. 11. and great mountayne and shewed mee the great City holy Hierusalem which I interpret the Glorious state of the Saints Triumphant descending out of heaven from God having the glory of God And her light was like unto a stone most precious even like a Iasperstone as cleare as Chrystall And agayne in v. 18. 19. 20. c. the 18. and other verses following And the building of the wall of it was of Iasper and the City was pure gould like unto cleare glasse and the foundations of the wall of the City were garnished with all manner of precious stones The first foundation was Iasper the second Saphire the third a Chalcedonye the fourth an Emerauld the fifth a Sardonix the sixth a Sardius the seventh a Chrysolite the eighth a Berill the ninth a Topaz the tenth a Chrysoprasse the eleventh a Hiacinth the twelfth an Amethist And the twelve gates were twelve pearles every severall gate one pearle And the streete of the City was pure gould as it were transparent glasse Thus farre the Prophet giving almost in every word a touche and description of some one or other Clarity and brightnes of that Triumphant City O let us pondering and ballancing these things in the scales of our Soules say unto them Arise ye up and be illightened for the Light of the Lord is comming and the glory of God shall appeare both over us and in us if we find truely to feare him sincerely to love him and faithfully to expect his comming Amen I have here set downe more at large the words of the Prophet that the Godly reader may well observe these things first what I have sayd to be most true touching the glorious translucency and splendour of the glorified bodyes described to be like Iasper or Crystal or Saphire or Chalcedon or some other precious pearles or Margarites the excellency and surpassing brightnesse whereof especially of Christ conformable whereunto the glorified Phil. 3. 20. bodyes of the Saints shall be made I gather out of the 23. verse of this said chapter wherein the Prophet having described that the glorious City needeth neither light of the Sunne nor of the Moone and Reve. 21. 23. gives a reason thereof for that the Clarity and brightnesse of God shall illighten the same he adds in the same verse that the Candell thereof was the Lambe Glorious brightnesse of Christs body distusing it selfe Who hath ever observed a candel lighted at noon dayes and bright to have given any light No no the brightnesse of the Sunne obscures the same be the candell never so great And yet the Lambs clarity and brightnesse that is the brightnesse of Christ as man shall through and by his glorified body be so shining resplendant that it shall be as a bright shining Sunne in that Triumphant